The Gryffindor cat
by dantemalfoy
Summary: Slash Draco/Harry. Humor, some angst. Harry has problems with Draco's cat, until he finds the feline in trouble.
1. The Gryffindor cat

"He scratched me!" Harry sucked the blood running from a cut on his finger, glaring at the white feline who hissed back at him, arching his back.

Draco picked up the cat, cradling him tenderly between his arms. "Aldebaran would never do that! What did you do to him, Potter? Threaten him like you did with me during school?"

"Are you barmy, Draco? I love animals…. Except crazy albino half-Kneazles!"

Draco lifted the cat to his face, rubbing noses with the suddenly happy, purring feline. Turning to glare at his fiancé, he drawled, "Aldie is not a half-Kneazle! I think you have something against people with white hair!"

"Not true! Luna's my friend!" Harry picked up his Auror robe, staring at the rent caused by the seemingly innocuous cat. "And I'm going to marry you!"

"It was your precious Lovegood who gave me Aldie."

Harry put on his robe, casting a wandless spell to fix it. He was used to doing this since the cat liked to use his uniform as a scratching post. Turning to Draco, he huffed. "It was you who made fun of me, using your cat."

"Can't take a joke, Harry? I just poked gentle fun at Quidditch."

"When Cho saw the photo you uploaded on the wizard worldwide web, she was angry. Ginny too…"

"It isn't my fault your humorless exes can't appreciate sarcasm."

* * *

><p><p>

oOoOo

A silver shape darted through the walls of the master bedroom at 12 Grimmauld Place. It advanced towards the brunet Auror. Aldebaran's fur stood on end as the feline trembled, poised on his hind legs. Before Draco could react, the cat jumped from his arms. The hissing feline passed through the ghostly figure and landed on a heap on the floor.

"Harry, we need you at the office." Ron's voice came from a spot near Harry's shoes.

Draco scowled at the ghostly Jack Terrier dog. "You could tell Weasley to change his Patronus, you know."

Harry spluttered. "He c… can't. No one can. And he won't change it just because of your cat!" He scowled; hearing the noises coming from his mouth, he wasn't quite sure if he was growling at Draco or the white cat.

The blond picked up the cat and put him on the bed, grabbing a green fluffy towel. "I'm going to take a shower. Couldn't sleep well last night. Dreamed a lion was chasing me."

"See! Told you felines are dangerous!"

"They aren't, Harry. Just the big ones."

Harry heard the shower door opening and a bit later the sound of running water. The brunet approached the bed, leaning down and gingerly reaching a hand to pet the year-old cat. "Do you want to be friends, Aldebaran?"

Yowling, the white feline darted towards Harry, his sharp claws scratching his thumb.

Draco shouted from the bathroom. "Leave him alone, Potter!"

* * *

><p>oOoOo<p>

"You have to get used to the cat, Harry." Ron took a huge bite from his sandwich, pieces of lettuce and tomato flying from his mouth. "If I did it with Crookshanks, you can do it with that cat."

"Crookshanks didn't scratch you constantly, or use your clothes to sharpen his claws."

"Go with the flow as the Muggles say. Tell me, why does the cat hate you so?"

Harry looked sideways at the other people eating in the cafeteria near the Ministry as if fearful that Draco or his cat would suddenly jump out from beneath the table. "I might have forgotten to feed him for a whole day when we were working on the rogue Animagus case."

Ron nodded as he finished his sandwich.

Harry mused. "Didn't know cats had such good memories. They're like elephants."

"Talking about memories? The other day I went to George's." Ron wiped his lips with the napkin, staring at the bustling street outside the cafeteria. "He's unable to cast a Patronus, after Fred…"

With a lump on his throat, Harry nodded.

"Anyway, he's working on a potion to help him with that. He has a Boggart, says he's near a breakthrough. The potion works against the fear caused by the Boggart and George thinks that will help him with his Patronus."

Harry nodded. He could understand George's grief. After the losses he'd suffered during the war, painful memories had been a constant part of Harry's life until he met Draco one day on Diagon. After the War, Harry felt free to act on the attraction that had always pulled him toward the blond, without the ever present threat of Voldemort.

He had hated it when the noseless git hugged Draco during the Final Battle. Harry made a vow to himself that he'd get the blond if it was the last thing he did.

* * *

><p>oOoOo<p>

Harry rubbed his forehead. He was ready to call it a day after having finished the grueling reports. Sometimes it seemed that his bosses were more interested in paperwork than in the process of catching the criminals.

He was passing an abandoned room when he heard Draco's angry voice.

"You're a useless cat!"

He stood in front of the door, hearing Aldebaran mewing disconsolately.

"I'm going to get rid of you!"

The poor cat whimpered.

"Bloody albino!"

Harry opened the door and saw the feline crouched on a corner as Draco advanced threateningly on him. The blond's visage was twisted in a hateful grimace. Harry had never seen Draco like this, not even during their worst fights at school.

When he saw that the closet door was ajar, Harry realized this wasn't the real Draco. It was just a Boggart. He had to get rid of it. Harry called out to the beast. "Oi! Won't you take someone more your size?"

Boggart-Draco turned. Its grey eyes were deadly, devoid of the real Draco's inner fire. It fixed its malevolent gaze on Harry and transformed. becoming a Dementor. Floating in midair, the wispy shroud moved as if affected by a ghostly breeze.

Harry fell to his knees, overwhelmed by imagery from the awful Final Battle, his friends dead amidst the ruins of Hogwarts. The Dementor made him forget the castle's reconstruction and his Eighth Year, a time of leisure when Hogwarts echoed with the laughter and joy so hardly won.

The Boggart-Dementor advanced upon the prostrate Auror. It leaned towards him, its voracious maw just two feet away from Harry's face until a small, furry shape flew threw the air and landed on its back.

Harry looked up when he heard Aldie's victorious yowling. He rubbed his eyes, hardly believing the surreal scene of a Dementor wrestling with a ferocious cat on its back.

It was so funny, he laughed uproariously. Without his casting _Riddikulus,_ the Boggart vanished with a loud popping noise.

Afterwards, Harry reached down to pet the white cat. Aldebaran sat on his haunches, licking his paw. Deigning to glance at the ruffled Auror, the feline made up his mind that the strange brunet man who had so cavalierly disregarded his appetite that one time had his uses after all. Besides, who knew when the dark-haired man would need him again? Obviously the poor human couldn't even groom himself properly. He needed a cat in his life.

Time to let sleeping dogs lie, so to speak.

* * *

><p>oOoOo<p>

Draco opened the bedroom door, muttering to himself, "Granger is obnoxious. It's hard working with her. She keeps-"

He frowned at the curious scene in front of him. Harry was on the bed, reading a book while Aldebaran lay on his chest, purring contentedly.

Draco smirked. "Finally, you two made up! It was hard putting up with your constant squabbles. What happened?"

Harry looked up from his novel, petting Aldebaran's head. "Aldie is a Gryffindor cat through and through. I'll show you the Pensieve memory."

Draco bent down to kiss his fiancé, scowling when he heard his cat growl jealously at him.

Harry smirked. "I reckon you have a rival for my affections."


	2. Draco's cat, through and through

"We have to talk," Draco said seriously. He paced back and forth, rubbing his forehead. "It seems you don't care about me anymore.…"

He trailed off and took a deep breath, saying dolefully, "You don't cuddle next to me and I miss you purring into my ear."

He went to the window and looked at the apartment building on the other side of the street. He tried not to peer at the corner of the room to avoid the green eyes that used to gaze at him with love, and now looked at him seemingly with scorn.

"I blame Lovegood! She brought us together, assured me you would be mine forever." He laughed bitterly. "Little did she know you would give me up for him! And after I took that photo of you next to your favourite broom!"

Draco touched the windowpane, mumbling to himself, "I know it's so easy to love him, but I hoped you would prefer me." He slowly raised his voice, "Thought you had more Slytherin in you. Turns out I was wrong and you're a Gryffindor to the last!"

Draco leaned his arm against the window and rested his forehead upon the cool glass. "We never fought after Luna brought us together. Now you scratch me, and not playfully!" He said angrily, "Well, what have you got to say for yourself?"

Draco whirled around but realized he was alone; the door to the corridor ajar. He hunched his shoulders and took out his wand, swirling it between his fingers. His mood was not improved when Harry strolled jauntily into the room, stumbling a bit because a white cat wrapped himself around his legs.

"Traitor!" growled Draco.

Harry was startled and almost lost his grip on the bottle of beer he was holding; however, he noticed that Draco wasn't glaring at him but at the cat.

"Why are you so mad at poor Aldie?"

"Don't defend him, Harry! Aldebaran used to love me and now he snarls and scratches me!"

As if to prove the words of his disgruntled owner, the white cat snarled and hissed at Draco.

Harry bent down to pat the tomcat's head and Aldebaran swiftly changed his snarling into purring. Peering up at his enraged fiancé, he explained patiently, "Aldie was traumatized by the Boggart. Told you it assumed your form and said very mean things to poor Aldie."

"It wasn't me!"

Harry held up the white cat and wrapped it around his shoulders just like a stole, enjoying the feel of the soft fur against his neck. He realized his mistake when he noticed Draco glowering at him. He shivered, hoping he would not end up sleeping in the guest room, again.

* * *

><p>oOoOo<p>

Harry wiggled on the expensive, comfortable chair. He glanced around at the richly dressed patrons, feeling out of place in this fanciful restaurant, just wearing his leather jacket and black jeans. The witch had insisted they should meet here, though.

He should have been having lunch and bantering with Ron instead. They'd talk about their cases and exchange office scuttlebutt, but he needed help and he doubted his best friend could provide insight into his plight. Ron's problems with Crookshanks were notorious.

Frankly, he was running out of options. His fiancé was increasingly moody and Harry wanted advice. When he met Ernie McMillan in the lift, Harry had been tempted to ask him but he held his tongue when he pictured the pompous git explaining all about feline behavior. And Luna? She might give insightful advice about Snorkacks and Thestrals, perhaps even cats, but unluckily for him she was out of the country with Rolf Scamander.

So he had decided to consult someone close to Draco who could give him Slytherin insight.

"Been waiting long, Potter?"

Harry looked up at the curt greeting, nodding at Pansy Parkinson. "Ten minutes or so."

He shot an admiring glance at Pansy; her dress accented her shapely figure and he had to admit she cleaned up nicely. Maybe her makeover gave her the confidence she needed to open a boutique that catered to young witches.

Pansy sat down on the chair opposite him. As if by magic, the waiter who had been studiously ignoring Harry rushed to her side and the two exchanged rapid phrases in French which Harry couldn't understand.

Finally, the waiter left, unmindful of Harry's glare directed at his neck.

Pansy spread her serviette and smirked. "I ordered Escargots Bourguignons for you, Harry, hope you don't mind."

"And that is?" Harry lifted his eyebrows.

"Snails," Pansy said simply.

Harry glowered at her whilst she held up her hands. "I was joking, Potter. I ordered you a nice bouillabaisse."

"Whatever," said Harry moodily.

Pansy sipped daintily from a glass of water. She crossed her arms and stared at him. "So what's the trouble with you and Draco? Don't tell me you're fighting, you two seemed quite cozy last time I saw you."

Harry explained the feline situation as Pansy listened intently.

"Draco and that awful cat were quite close," said Pansy. "Aldebaran doesn't like me."

"Seems it's Draco he dislikes now."

"It's funny, I always thought they were very alike; white hair, jealous and possessive."

"You're telling me!" Harry smirked as the waiter returned with their meal.

"The answer is simple." Pansy glanced at him while she speared a baby carrot with her fork.

"And your solution is?" said Harry, his nostrils flaring as he inhaled the spicy scent rising up from the bowl in front of him.

"Here's what you will do…" Pansy leaned forward and told Harry her plan.

* * *

><p>oOoOo<p>

"Another cat?" Draco scrunched up his face. He was growing weary of felines because they were moody, held a grudge seemingly forever and were quite unpredictable.

Seeing Harry's green eyes wobble as he pleaded with him gave Draco no choice, however. He ruffled his blond hair and sighed. "All right, all right! I guess we can take care of Crookshanks while Granger's away."

"Good," said Harry shortly.

The ginger cat strolled into the dining room of 12 Grimmauld Place as if Sirius had left the house to him in his will; his bottle-brush tail held high in the air as he sniffed haughtily at Harry.

The cat with the squashed face looked up at Draco as if judging the Slytherin. Finally he walked towards the flustered blond with a bandy-legged gait. He purred against Draco's woolen trousers. He smirked and picked up the heavy cat. Apparently he hadn't lost his touch with felines after all. Draco rubbed his face against the soft fur and walked towards the kitchen.

"I've some treats for you, Crookshanks."

Harry gazed fondly at his fiancé, hoping that Pansy's plan would work.

The blond was unaware that another pair of green eyes followed him keenly, accompanied by the sound of a menacing growl.

Draco put Crookshanks on the floor and opened the cupboard, rummaging inside until he found the tuna can Blaise got him from Italy. He hummed as he poured its contents into a bowl.

Meanwhile, a white shape darted into the room.

Draco put the bowl on the floor and Crookshanks' tongue lapped it up daintily, but then Aldie pounced on the ginger cat and pandemonium erupted.

Amidst the hissing, yowling and snarling, Draco vainly tried to separate the combatants. "Come on, boys, stop fighting!"

Harry dashed into the room and saw Draco on the floor, wrestling with the huge white and ginger cats. He hastily took out his wand and cast Immobulus on the lot, shrugging at the six eyeballs that swiveled in his direction to glare at him.

* * *

><p>oOoOo<p>

"There, that ought to do the trick," said Harry, his thumb swirling above Draco's arm as he applied the healing balm.

"You should've told me your plan," drawled Draco.

"It worked, didn't it?" Harry cocked his head towards Aldie. The cat was nuzzling against Draco's shoulder, purring loudly as he delicately licked the pale ear shell. With his other hand, Harry patted Crookshanks, who was curled on his lap, purring in his sleep.

"I must admit you've quite the Slytherin in you, Harry." Draco sighed contentedly, the soft fur against his neck and Harry's calloused fingers caressing his arm were contrasting sensations which he enjoyed immensely.


	3. The trouble with Weasley

"Mate, do you have the report?" Ron canted his chin to shoot Harry a crooked grin. "I have to meet George near the Ministry. Might as well grab the chance and hand it over to our boss."

Harry pointed at the ceiling of the parlor in 12 Grimmauld Place and then strode towards the staircase. "I'll go get it; it's in my bedroom." At the threshold, he called over his shoulder. "I take it George is doing better?"

"Seems so." Ron shrugged. "He's been happier lately; the git even started working on new products."

"Good," Harry muttered before trotting up the stairs.

Harry passed in front of the room which held the Black tapestry, where the soothing sound of Draco's elegant drawl caught his attention.

"I must admit you've been very helpful, Granger."

"Just call me Hermione; after all, we work together!" Hermione said sharply. "So you tell me that things between you two aren't working out?"

Harry grinned at her indignant retort. His fingers brushing his tousled hair, he walked past the room but then the import of Hermione's words finally sank into his mind. Harry gulped and leaned towards the wooden frame of the closed door.

"I believed we were good after our last fight, but…" Draco trailed off while Harry stuck his hands in his pockets with a guilty sigh.

Sure, the two wizards had fought bitterly over the Quidditch World Cup finals, Draco being a firm supporter of the Netherlands while Harry favored the opposing team. Nevertheless, after Harry spent three cold nights sleeping on the couch, the two wizards had made up.

So why was Draco still unhappy?

"Let me guess. You're like me and you've just found out ginger suits your needs best!" Hermione's voice oozed so much satisfaction, Harry could almost taste her smirk.

Harry glared at the door. Was his best friend scheming behind his back to break him and Draco up? Obviously Hermione's vacation in Romania had inspired her with matchmaking ideas concerning Charlie and Draco!

"Exactly, that's why I have to ask you a favor."

Harry's fingers curled around his trusty wand as he waited on tenterhooks for Draco's next words.

"You don't have to. I guess you want him to stay with you," Hermione said smugly.

His heart fluttering like the wings of the Golden Snitch, Harry tightened his fist around his wand. The movement dislodged a silver Sickle that fell out of his pocket and tinkled against the wooden floor.

"There's someone outside," Draco said. "Wait…"

Before Draco could open the door, Harry dived towards the stairs, his hand clutching his wand to Apparate into the master bedroom right above. He was not ready to confront his cheating fiancé yet.

Draco gazed at the corridor with a puzzled frown and then closed the door. "It must have been Aldebaran or Crookshanks."

He sighed at the thought that Aldie still hadn't forgiven him for the cruel words the Boggart uttered in its Malfoy guise.

"So what do you say, Hermione?" Draco shot her a smirk.

"I told you that you don't have to ask; now let us go over this rune one last time." Hermione brushed her fingers against the soft vellum of the parchment on her lap and raised her chin to flash Draco a reassuring smile. "And of course Crookshanks can stay with you for a while. Merlin knows you need all the help you can get so Aldebaran forgives you!"

* * *

><p>oOoOo<p>

"What's eating you up, Harry?" Ron closed the kitchen door with a heartfelt sigh, his blue eyes peering at Harry from below his fringe. "You've been moody all day; you almost let that dark wizard escape."

Harry scuffed his leather boots on the floor. "Am sorry, all right? Should've paid more attention."

Aldebaran walked up to the distraught wizard and rubbed his flanks against Harry's trousers. He bent down to pick up the white cat, easily cradling the undulating feline between his arms. "What's up, Aldie? Did you fight with Crookshanks again?"

"Is that it, mate?" Ron thrust his chin at the cat while he made his way to the pantry. He opened it and fished inside for the cans of Italian tuna which was the cats' favorite food. Ron hefted three cans, waving them at Harry. "You and Malfoy fought again? Merlin knows you two bicker almost as much as the cats."

"We do not fight that much!" Harry scowled at his friend, who was opening the cans and pouring the contents onto two white bowls.

"Come off it, Harry!" Ron took out his wand, swishing it with practiced ease at the bowls which smoothly swooped downward to the floor. "You do!"

Crookshanks strolled into the kitchen, his bottle-brush tail curled up in the air as the half-Kneazle rubbed his flanks against Harry's trousers, liberally peppering them with orange hairs. Then the cat lowered his head, his tongue lapping daintily at the tuna while his whiskers quivered, his tail swishing side to side with the precision of a Swiss metronome.

"Fine, you want to know? I'll tell you," Harry growled in exasperation.

While the cats ate, Harry told Ron about the conversation he had heard and the conclusions he gleaned from Hermione and Draco's ominous words.

Ron listened to the tale patiently, his brow furrowing while he observed Harry's face clouding over his recollections.

"You think Malfoy is cheating on you?" Ron continued at Harry's sad nod. "With Charlie?"

"Yeah."

"You're completely wrong!" Ron paced briskly around the kitchen, his fingers ruffling his red hair. "Let us use Auror logic to solve this."

"So how do you explain Hermione's words then?"

"You forget that Charlie is in the dragon preserve in Romania; he's too far away to have an affair with Malfoy!" Ron said confidently. "Obviously Malfoy isn't cheating on you with him!"

Harry heaved a sigh of relief but then Ron struck his open palm with his fist, the slapping sound startling him.

"It's George!" Ron said angrily. "Malfoy's cheating on you with him!"

"George?"

"George is kind of gloating lately." Ron stared at the window with a pensive look. "Used to think it was because he was preparing a prank, but what you heard gives me pause. So that's the reason he's been happy lately!"

Harry's stomach twisted in a painful knot. He wanted George to leave the past behind and move on; only not this way, by stealing Draco away from him!

Ron grunted, his blue eyes sparkling with fury as he gazed at his best friend. "I'm going to beat Malfoy and George to a bloody pulp for cheating on you!"

"Thanks, Ron."

"And then I'm going to beat you too because you made me hit my brother!"

Harry gulped.

The sharp sound of a beak hitting the glass distracted him; Harry craned his neck to glance at the windowpane where a tawny barn owl hooted in exasperation.

"I can't believe the gall of the git," Ron growled while he stepped towards the window, his fingers unclasping the latch so the owl could fly into the room. "George is using Hooters to deliver messages to Malfoy!"

Harry untied the frayed string that held a small box to the bird's claw and then fished inside his pockets, his fingers grasping an owl treat which he shoved rudely into Hooters' beak. The owl whipped her head in consternation before dashing away from the grumpy wizard.

Harry's fingers fumbled with the box. He finally opened the lid and took out two pieces of candy. His eyes widened at the sight of George's scrawl on a torn piece of parchment: 'Here's a preview of my latest product: 'Malforming Madness'"

Harry made a fist around the candies and then turned towards the door, his biceps bulging inside his white shirt as he threw them forcefully at the parlor where the sweets landed with a soft plop against the legs of the table.

"That does it!" Ron stomped towards the door. "I'm going to have a word with George right now!"

"Just don't hit him, alright?" Harry plopped down on the chair, burying his face on his hands while Aldebaran made his way out of the room with Ron, Crookshanks walking up to Harry and batting his head against Harry's legs.

"I won't hit him hard, I promise," Ron called over his shoulder. "I'll just make him see reason. If he wants an obnoxious blond, he could bloody well pull Zacharias Smith and leave Malfoy to you!"

Aldebaran was bored after the strange human ginger, whose fur reminded him so pleasantly of Crookshanks, left the house. He meandered around the parlor, his nose tickled by the alluring scent coming from the candies beneath the table. Aldebaran had trouble with the slippery plastic wrapped around the sweet, until the white tomcat speared the material with his sharp claws and managed to uncover the candy which he ate delicately.

Aldebaran would learn, as countless wizards and witches before him through the years, that trusting Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes is a dicey proposition both for humans and cats.

* * *

><p>oOoOo<p>

"Harry, I'm home!" Draco drawled, shrugging off his cloak and placing it on the hat stand next to the parlor door.

Draco tilted down his chin as he sauntered into the darkened room, wondering how he would manage to wean Aldebaran from his stubborn Gryffindor fixation. Granted, it would seem that House held an unholy fascination for astute watchers, but…

The strange sounds coming from the couch caused him to raise his chin, and Draco gasped at the incredible sight in front of him.

It was Aldebaran all right - his lustrous white fur as impeccable and groomed as ever -the trouble was his head. It wasn't feline but avian: a cock's head complete with an engorged red comb, white beak, bulging wattle, and small green eyes.

The furry tail of the strange being slashed the air impatiently as Aldebaran's beady eyes pierced him with malevolent intent. Draco's cat opened his beak and the clucking sounds made Draco shiver from head to toe as he stumbled.

When his human didn't listen to his demands for help, Aldebaran grew angrier, his wattle pulsing violently as he cocked his head sideways, his throat emitting a weird mixture of crowing and meowing which reminded Draco of the sounds his father made after a white peacock bit Lucius' hand.

Draco lurched towards the kitchen and opened the door with quivering hands, his face paler than usual. He noticed Harry sitting forlornly on a chair, Crookshanks purring on his lap.

Draco pointed at the parlor with a trembling hand. "Th… there's a huge cock on the couch!"

"WHAT?" Harry roared as he shot out of the chair at that, his face twisting in indignation while Crookshanks meowed in protest at hitting the cold floor. "You want me to watch? Why don't you simply sit on it, you slut!"

"Potter, what do you mean?" Draco shook his head in bewilderment. "That would kill him!"

"So George is hung but not as strong as you thought, huh?" Harry glared at Draco.

"George?" Draco scowled at him. "By Merlin's wet breeches, are you taking the piss out of me?"

"I don't want to see..."

Draco didn't let Harry finish; he stepped forward and grabbed his arm, pulling him towards the parlor. Harry stumbled behind Draco, green eyes blinking owlishly at the sight of the transformed Aldie.

"What is this?" Harry muttered, reaching out his hand to pet Aldie. The cat cocked his head and rubbed his wattle on Harry's fingers.

"It's George Weasley's fault!" Draco made his way to the chimney and grabbed the vase with the Floo powder. "I've talked with the obnoxious git trying to cheer him up, and this is how he repays me!"

"So you've only talked to George? You're not interested in him?"

"Course not, Potter. I don't like gingers; Crookshanks is the sole exception!" Draco said indignantly. "You and I will have a long talk after Aldie has been restored; you had better believe it!"

As Draco lowered his torso to call Hermione on the Floo, Harry sighed sadly and made the mental note to stock up on blankets. It would seem his nights on the couch were far from over.

* * *

><p>oOoOo<p>

"Granger, you failed. I can't believe it!" Draco huffed, pale fingers ruffling his hair.

Soft hooting interspersed with meows came from the couch.

"You even changed Aldie's color!" Draco picked up the small grey cat, whose head no longer resembled a chicken but an owl.

"It was hard," Hermione conceded. "I had to improvise. Need I remind you it was you who suggested the potion anyway?"

Draco mumbled an inaudible reply.

"I only used my runes to fine-tune it!" Hermione said. "George has the antidote anyway, but you were too impatient to wait!"

Harry petted the soft fur on top of Aldie's head, his heart melting at the huge orange eyes that gazed at him with familiar wisdom.

"Can't we leave him like this?" he muttered softly.

Draco opened his mouth to utter a sarcastic remark, but the tender gaze on Harry's eyes stopped his tongue. He sighed, recalling the strong bond Harry enjoyed with his owl, Hedwig, and made the mental note to get his fiancé a new bird.

Aldie nestled on Draco's arm, hooting softly against his robes while Harry made cooing sounds.

"Let's go to bed, Harry," Draco said as he made his way to the door. "I'm tired after all these ups and downs."

"Are you sure?" Harry eyed the uncomfortable couch with a weary look.

"Yes, I am. We all need a good night's sleep." Draco wrapped his other arm around Harry's back and called over his shoulder. "Come on, Crookshanks!"

The half-Kneazle walked towards the door with a bandy gait while Harry looped his arm around Draco's waist.

As the two wizards and the cats left the parlor, Hermione shook her head fondly.

They hadn't said good night or seen her out. It might seem impolite but she was aware of the deeper truth.

Harry and Draco were too much like cats: proud and collected, with a fiery temper that would not be bound - and Hermione knew well that cats greet effusively but never say goodbye.

**The End**


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